Summary

Release Year: 2003
Genres: Role-playing game (RPG), Simulator
Platforms: Nintendo GameCube
Developers: Marvelous Interactive
Publishers: Marvelous Interactive, Natsume Inc., Nintendo

Harvest Moon: A Wonderful Life (2003) Review

Harvest Moon: A Wonderful Life is a farming simulation game developed by Marvelous Interactive and published by Natsume for the PlayStation 2, GameCube, and Windows. It was released in Japan in 2003 and in North America and Europe in 2004. The game is the ninth installment in the Harvest Moon series, and it is a remake of the 1999 PlayStation game Harvest Moon: Back to Nature.

In Harvest Moon: A Wonderful Life, the player takes on the role of a young farmer who inherits his grandfather’s farm. The player must then work to build up the farm and make it profitable, while also building relationships with the townspeople and starting a family. The game features a variety of farming activities, including planting crops, raising animals, and selling produce. The player can also participate in festivals and minigames, and explore the surrounding area.

Harvest Moon: A Wonderful Life was a critical and commercial success, selling over 1 million copies worldwide. The game was praised for its charming graphics, engaging gameplay, and heartwarming story. It is considered to be one of the best games in the Harvest Moon series, and it is still enjoyed by fans today.

Gameplay

Harvest Moon: A Wonderful Life is a farming simulation game in which the player takes on the role of a young farmer who inherits his grandfather’s farm. The player must then work to build up the farm and make it profitable, while also building relationships with the townspeople and starting a family.

The game features a variety of farming activities, including planting crops, raising animals, and selling produce. The player can also participate in festivals and minigames, and explore the surrounding area.

One of the unique features of Harvest Moon: A Wonderful Life is its life simulation element. The player’s character will age over time, and they will experience different events throughout their life. For example, they may get married, have children, and retire. The player’s choices will affect the course of their life, and they will have to make decisions that will impact their family and their farm.

Characters

Harvest Moon: A Wonderful Life features a cast of charming and memorable characters. The player will interact with a variety of townspeople, including farmers, merchants, and potential love interests. Each character has their own unique personality and backstory, and the player will learn more about them as they build relationships with them.

Some of the most notable characters in Harvest Moon: A Wonderful Life include:

Celia: A kind and gentle woman who is the daughter of the local doctor. She is a potential love interest for the player character.
Marlin: A shy and timid young man who is the son of the local blacksmith. He is a potential love interest for the player character.
Stu: A hardworking and ambitious farmer who is the player character’s rival. He is a potential love interest for the player character.
May: A young girl who is the daughter of the local innkeeper. She is a potential love interest for the player character.
Griffin: A wise and experienced farmer who is the player character’s mentor. He provides the player with advice and guidance throughout the game.

Setting

Harvest Moon: A Wonderful Life is set in the fictional town of Mineral Town. The town is a small and peaceful place, and it is home to a variety of friendly and welcoming people. The player will explore the town and its surroundings, including the farm, the mountains, and the beach.

Story

The story of Harvest Moon: A Wonderful Life begins with the player character inheriting their grandfather’s farm. The player must then work to build up the farm and make it profitable, while also building relationships with the townspeople and starting a family.

The game follows the player character through their life, from childhood to adulthood. The player will experience a variety of events throughout their life, including marriage, childbirth, and retirement. The player’s choices will affect the course of their life, and they will have to make decisions that will impact their family and their farm.

Reception

The game received positive reviews from critics, with many praising its graphics, gameplay, and story. GameSpot gave the game a score of 8.2 out of 10, saying that it is “a charming and engaging game that will appeal to fans of the Harvest Moon series and newcomers alike.” IGN gave the game a score of 8.5 out of 10, saying that it is “a great game that offers a lot of depth and replayability.”

Harvest Moon: A Wonderful Life was also a commercial success, selling over 1 million copies worldwide. The game was the best-selling game in the Harvest Moon series until it was surpassed by Harvest Moon: Friends of Mineral Town in 2005.

Legacy

Harvest Moon: A Wonderful Life is considered to be one of the best games in the Harvest Moon series. The game is praised for its charming graphics, engaging gameplay, and heartwarming story. It is still enjoyed by fans today, and it is considered to be a classic in the farming simulation genre.

The game has been ported to a variety of platforms, including the PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, and Nintendo Switch. It has also been released on mobile devices.

Harvest Moon: A Wonderful Life has also been the inspiration for a number of other games, including Harvest Moon: Another Wonderful Life and Harvest Moon: Tree of Tranquility. These games have similar gameplay and